1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to a method and a kit for producing a dental product. The invention also relates to a device that allows the method according to the invention to be implemented.
2. Technical Background
A dental product in the sense of the present invention is taken to mean, for example, an orthodontic aligner, a bite plate, a miniature plastic splint, an occlusal splint, a healing cap, a fluidisation tray, a whitening tray, a transfer tray, a mouth protector, a positioner or a medication carrier made of a thermoplastic material. However, a dental product can also be a dental impression, e.g. a negative mold of the dental situation which can, for example, be preserved in the form of a hardened thermoplastic film. In a similar way to traditional dental impression materials, from such a casting a working model for the further production of dentures can be produced by filling with a modelling material such as plaster.
A dental product in the form of a splint for orthodontic treatment is known, for example, from US 2006/0093983 A1. In DE 103 49 047 B3 a method of producing a dental splint is described in which an impression tray is coated with a plastically moldable materials on which a thermoplastic film is provided, which can be heated, for example in a water bath, together with the plastically moldable material, or separately from it. In this warmed state the thermoplastic film is plastically moldable and can be applied directly into the mouth of a patient to produce the dental splint. To this end the thermoplastic material is applied to the teeth and/or the gums. After cooling of the thermoplastic film to body temperature it hardens and in this condition it can easily be removed from the patient's mouth.
In WO 2005/113675 A2 a method of individually adapting a prefabricated dental splint is described. For this the dental splint should be heated in a water bath or wrapped in a dampened cloth and heated in a microwave oven before being adjusted in the mouth. In addition, methods are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,791 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,665 in which a thin thermoplastic material is heated in boiling water, for example, in order to then be adapted to the teeth in the mouth. These methods conceal the danger that increased heat input through the strongly heated splint can be experienced as unpleasant, or even result in injury.
Under the name “Erkoform 3d” the company ERKODENT Erich Kopp GmbH, 72285 Pfalzgrafenweiler, Germany, also supplies a deep drawing device with which dental splints can be produced from a plate or film of thermoplastic material on a plaster model. This device is equipped with a heat radiator under which the thermoplastic materials can be heated and plastified while clamped in a frame. In this state the thermoplastic material can be applied to the plaster model in order to produce a splint adapted to the outer contours of the plaster model using deep drawing technology in a vacuum. Although this device is suitable for use in a dental laboratory, it is not suitable for producing a splint or similar dental product intra-orally, i.e. in the patient's mouth.
In DE 10 2006 056 983 A1 the use of a thermoplastic material is proposed for producing a dental product which is selected from the following group: copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate, polycaprolactone, polypropylene, polyethylene, polybutenene, styrene-isoprene-styrene and/or styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymers, thermoplastic elastomers, amorphic polyolefins, linear thermoplastic polyurethanes, copolyesters, polyamide resins, polyamide/EVA-copolymers, polyaminoamides based on dimer fatty acids, polyesteramides, polyetheramides or a shape memory synthetic material.
In terms of their thermal and Theological properties, E/VA (ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer) and PCL (poly(epsilon-caprolactone)) are very suitable for use in a thermoplastic splint system, i.e. to produce a dental product. However, because of its low level of hardness and its low E-module, pure ENA is only suitable to a very limited extent for such dental indications, which require hard materials. Although on the other hand pure PCL exhibits very good mechanical properties, it is not, however, transparent, which for aesthetic reasons and possibly during treatment using light, can be considered as disadvantageous. The optically highly transparent and medium-hard E/AA (ethylene/acryl acetate copolymer) is not suitable for forming a dental splint in the patient's mouths due to its very high elastic portion in the soft state at 85° C.